Maria studied at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels at Aberystwyth and was awarded a PhD in Creative Writing in 2015. She is currently writing short stories, a memoir and children’s fiction and teaches with the University of Maryland, University College, Europe.

Dr Louise Marshall, Head of the Department of English & Creative Writing said: “The Department of English and Creative Writing are absolutely delighted with the fantastic achievements of our former students, Maria Apichella and Richard Georges, in being shortlisted for the Forward Prize for the best first poetry collection 2017. Maria’s former supervisor, Prof Matthew Francis, is particularly proud; he himself was shortlisted for the Forward Best First collection prize in 1996. We excitedly await the announcement of the winners in September and wish both Maria and Richard all the very best for the awards ceremony.”

Set up in 1991 by philanthropist William Sieghart to celebrate excellence in poetry and increase its audience, The Forward Prizes for Poetry are awarded to published poets for work in print in the last year.

The three prizes; £10,000 for Best Collection, £5,000 for Best First Collection and £1,000 for Best Single Poem; are described by the organisers as “unique in honouring both the work of established poets and the debuts of brilliant unknowns”.

This year’s judging panel is chaired by Andrew Marr, journalist and television presenter, and includes poets Ian Duhig, Sandeep Parmar and Mona Arshi, and artist Chris Riddell.